Machine for covering tire beads



I 1,635,647 J y w. c. STEVENS MACHINE FOR COVERING TIRE BEADS Filed Jan. 16, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheetfl /5 l8. nwzzim w Wm, 45 m July 12, 1927.

W. C. STEVENS MACHINE FOR. COVERING TIRE BEADS Filed Jan. 16, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I, we izfar Q W/u/A/y C STEVE/VS. 399 Zi gzm Q July 12, 1927.

W. C. STEVENS MACHINE FOR COVERING TIRE BEADS Filed J 16, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 fizz/e Way/417 C STEVE/vs. 9 O E Q My 1927 w. c. STEVENS MACHINE FOR COVERING TIRE BEADS p' led Jan, 16, 1924 4 sheets-sheet 4 mammal Patented July 12, 1927. i

UNITED stares than WILLIAM G. STEVENS, OF AKRGN. OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRESTONE TIRE AND RUBBER, ,COME'ANY, 0F AKRON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

MACHINE FOR COVERING TIRE BEADS.

Application filed January 18, 1924. Serial No. 686,587.

This invention relates to the manufacture of tirecasings and p:n'ti .-|ila1'l to the preparation of'beads for incorporation in the casings. o a In the manufacture of tire. casings, it is quite a universal expedient to cover the beads with a strip or strips of fabric which extend outwardly of the beads and a short distance between the plies to form what is known in the practical art as the flipper strip. in certain types of tire constrimtion. it is the practice to enclose the bead'with a single or double strip of fabric which is placed around the base or inner circumference of the bead and brought up to the po nt of the bead and then extended upwardly a slight distance, the rubber coating on the fabric causing it. to

adhere to the bead.

The present invention has for its object the revision of a machine to perform this work.

go far as known to me. it is the first machine of its kind' operating upon the principles set forth herein, and the. claims appended hereto are, therefore, entitled to a broad range of equivalents.

' In the drawings and description forming a part of this application, there is described one form of the invention, it being understood that changes and modifications may be made in the form of the invention Without departure therefrom.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is'a side elevation of the machine;

Figure 2 is a front elevation;

Figure 3- is an enlarged viev of the form in mechanism in the. act of shaping the fa ric about the bead;

Figure 4; is a side view of the head carrier;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure Figure 3;

Figure Figure 3;

Figure 8 is an enlarged section of the head on the carrier;

Figures 9 and 10 are detailed views of the bead shaping instrumentalitie's;

\ Figure 11 is a section on line 11 -11 of Figure 1.

Briefly set forth, my invention comprises a bead carrier or expansible chuck on which 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of 7 is a section on the line 77 of v the. head is carried during the shaping oporation. The fabric for covering the bead vertical standard 3.

wound over the carrier which is rotated slowly for this purpose. The head is placed in a ring and the ring and carrier brought together. The carrier is then expanded to bring it into contact with the. inner surface of the bead and the placing ring withdrawn. leaving the circular head over the central portion of the fabric. the skirts or edges of which stand outwardly from the head. The carrier is now rotated at high speed and two oppositely positioned disks, similar to spin-. ning wheels used on tire making machines, are brought against the bead and gradually fed outwardly to apply the fabric to the bead. As the two disks pass off the outer edge of the head, the overlapping edges of the fabriare stuck together to form the web or flipper strip on the bead.

The machine is carried upon a base 1 from which rises a framework 2 carrying the driving mechanism and on which is mounted a On the base is secured a motor 4, the pinion 5 of which drives a large gear 6 secured to a main drive shaft 7 mounted upon the framework. The shaft is designed to operate the rotatable clutch or head carrier through high and low speed drives by a high speed clutch S and a low Q speed clutch 9 respectively. The shaft is operatively connected with one or the other of said clutches. a shiftahle clutch operating member 10 which mounted on the shaft by alever ll pivoted to the base as at 12. To move the leverll to operate the slow Speed clutch 9. a link 15% is provided which is -to the outer surface of either of the clutch members is operated by the brake treadle 22 to stop rotation of the mechanism as desired.

The bead supporting drum or chuck is indicated in generalby the numeral 23. it is carried upon the end of a shaft 24 mounted in bearings on the top of the frame. It is driven from the high speed clutch by a sprocket chain 26, and from the low speed prcciutcii, 'lhc chtlch comprises or number of nhocc or scglncntn 23:2, shown us Elli in number thc ontcr snrluccn of thc segments constituting; a cyliiulricnl hcnring surface for tho inncr circnnilcrcncc oi the hood and being rclicrulily rougrlicncil 215 shown in Figurc 2') to nlioril n hotter gripping action on the material. 'lhc scgincnts arc o'l proper size no that thcy nrc lrcc to mom in :lIlfl out with rcspect to the uhntltcili coil thcrohy increase or diminish thc circum'hzrcncc of the carrich In orclcr to guitlc tho szc c'mcnts, they nrc curried upon a plate he huh ill of which in kcycil to the shaft 2% l rt screws and guiclc pins 35 gniclo thc ticg'nicnts in their rzuliul niorcnn 1h The scrcrol cc uicnts nro iuoiril in unison h n t i c lh :lcothcrcti upon iluhuh and curry M1 at its inncr and n plurality cl" hirotorl thimhlcu 3i", coch of which connmitci by :lonhlc thrcnclcil scrcu' 38 to simihir thin'ihlcr; 3h pirotcil to ouch ucgmcnt. Tho slocro iii) in mound loiu iliulinnll along; the huh Stihy u hnncl whccl 4-0 (i ignrc which hut; screw tiln'ciuicrl ciurngcincnlw with tho lhrcucln ill on tho curl of ihc ohn'll 225iw "lho inncr curl oi? thc wheel is proriclccl with 11 iiuun'c l2 which in rctnincil in cnri-ly in tho chill of tho nlccrc so my ewciionul pinto: tiii. Ah the hunrl \rhccl Til inorcrl in niul out along; llic shalt; tho chuck will he cupmniorl or coutrnclcti to perform tho l nnciionc to he rlcscrihcci.

The luaurl in hou'u nl' izl: ninl tho l'nhric at iii. shown, this muy comprise wirlc and narrow strips which nrc usrazcn'ilirlcil togcthcr in tho rniunn shown :llthongln of coin-Sc, this is initionnl. The lulu-h is .lcil froi'n {my nuitnhlc oourcc and is ruhhcrizccil in tho uiuuil nuinncr. it 'lt'ml onto the chnrl: Whilc uncxpnnrlcii and while rotnting mt ulorr shcciil. ll hcn 2! conipiciic rcroiulion has laccn nuulc tho lt'uhric iii out and spliced. The, nncorcrctl hozul, which in :iligrhtly lurgor on its inhcr circiuulicrcnco than tho hund o't "luhric on ihc tillllll, in first plncrtl with in tho in lc 0'? :i hcrui currj ring; "iii. lililf-v ring; in ?lilli'ilt"i to urnm ii which nrc iirotcii to arms iicurricil hy thc ironic oi tin; nhichinc. ".lhc ring: horu'iully oluniln From tho churn co no not to intr hrc Wu i tho much tuicrntoi, hul hcn Eflri'lllhfiff nronhtl town-rd. hc i'ni'ichino, tho hcutl in placed over the chuck. The operator now cxpnnds the chuck, stretching the fabric slightly and causing it to adhere to the in-- ncr surface of the head. The ring is now swung away and the bond rests upon the outer surface of the chuck, the fabric slowling out us shown in dotted lines in Figure 8. lit in now ready for the fabric applying and smoothing operation.

This operation is pcrforlncii by ncnns of two spiruiiug or stretching rollers which arc placed l 'cnth the fabric and gruchmllylfcil outwardly of the bond while the chuck is in fast rotation. For this purpose the stmul nrrl 3 is formed with :1 vertical clovotni crl guiclewuy 50 on which is slirluhly mou'ncil the stitcher carriage 51, a vertical screw passing through the carriage and having u. holf nut or (log 52-3 which is slidnihly mounh Oll in the carriage to be moved into and out oi cngng'cmcnt with the screw by means of an eccentric on the end of a shaft 55 which cxtcnils along :1 cross-heacl 56 cnrricil up the carriage 51. The shaft is rov'iiilcd with on operating handle 57 by w .ich the not can be moved.

The spinning rollers are designated by tho numerals 58 and 59, the forincr hcingr located in front of the bead and adjuscuhly moimtcil on the encls'of an arm 60'. The rollcr *9 is on the lower end of an arm (ill The two arms 60 and 61 are formocl with lutcrnl extensions 62 which orcrltrF and are pirotnlly mounted upon apin 6; coated in tho cross-headl56. The upper ends of the nrnas 60 and 61 are connected by lever mach onion: so as to be capable of simultaneous movement; and for slight yielding capacity. For this purpose tho arm 60 is pivotolly conncctcd to an intermediate point on u. hiu'ui lever 64:, the shorter and of which is pivolnlly connected to a longitudinnll y telescoping link 65 which-is kept at its on tcurlcrl position butnllowcd to yield slightly by n coil spring 66. Tho end of the link 65 is connected to the end. of the mun fill As the lever (lei is pressed downwardly, tho two spinning rollers {ill and 59 are :icrcotl ton-(their against the boaulwith a yiohling pressure which scrvcs to apply the fabric about thc bcacl while the carriagcis moved upmu-(lly by the screw 52, which act-ion is umiutuincdin proper relation to the rota tion of the chuck as it'is driiren from the chuck slnrtta by a bevel gear filthereon which nlcs-hcs with a hovel ear 68 on the lower cml of the shilft 52. e carriage is coon terlmlnnccd by a weight fifl suspended from a bolt 'ill which passes over a pulley 71 on lop oithe standard 3 and is connected to n cleric '72 on the carriage.

In order to insurc i, the cclgros or chitin of rho fabric are oerly ctii'chod and do not: hccomo entimg with tho rollcrn, ig'ir inctnl glut-run may ho provided turn up Elli lill

lilil tion. From the arm 60 depends a plate 73,

. the lower inner surface of which is provided with a light finger 74, and from the arm 61 depends a plate 75 from which is extended 'the'filmer 76. These fin ers or uards co- .operate in the manner illustrated in Figure 3 and give the fabric a preliminary shaping before the spinning wheels ope ate.

It will be observed that the circumference of the chuck determines the amount of fabric to be placed around the bead. As the circumference increases outwardly of the bead, the fabric must be stretched radially, for which reason it is on the bias or arranged with its threads at an angle to the edges of the fabric. This operation is one requiring considerable force and so far as known to me, this is the first machine for doing this work, operating upon the spinning principle.

\Vhat is claimed is: v

1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of an expansiblc chuck adapted to receive :rring of covering fabric, a bead carrier movable to place a head over the chuck in position to have the /fabric applied to its inner surface by expan- ,[sion of the chuck, shaping mechanisms on opposite sides of the bead, and means to move said mechanisms radially outward to stretch andfapply the fabric progressively ('iutward of the bead.

2. In an apparatus of the character described,'the combination of an expansible chuck adapted to receive a ring of covering fabric therearound while in contracted position, a bead carr er movable toward and from the chuck and adapted to place a bead around the chuck-,, means to expand the chuck, fabric shaping rollers located on either side of the bead, and means to move the rollers'in unison outwardly of the chuck to apply the fabric about the bead.

3. In an apparatus for the uses and purposes set forth, a drum adapted to receive a ring of covering? fabric, means to place an endless bead over the drum and contact with the fabric, means to rotate the drum, and shaping devices to turn the edges of the fabric outwardly, and apply them to the sides of the bead.

4. In an apparatus for the uses and purposes set forth, a drum adapted to receive a ring of covering fabric, means to place a bead river the drum and in contact with the fabric, means to rotate the drum, and shaping devices to turn the edges of the fabric" outwardly and apply them to the sides of the bead and to each other beyond the bead.

- 5.- An apparatus for the uses and purposes set forth, a rotary drum adapted to carry a ring of covering fabric with a bead superposed thereon, and shaping devices adapted to operate progressively radially outward of outward of the drum during rotation of the drum, and shaping devices supported upon said carriage.

7. An apparatus for the uses and purposes set forth, a rotary drum adapted to carry on its outer circumference a ring of covering fabric with a bead superposed thereon, a car-' riagc, means to move thecarriage operated in unison with the rotation of the drum, and shal'iing devices supported upon said carriage at opposite sides of the bead.

8. In an apparatus for covering tire beads, means to apply a-strip of fabric to the inner surface of the bead,- and means acting in a spiral path outwardly of the bead, upon the uuapplied edges of the fabric to shape them to the sides of the bead. I

9. In an apparatus forcovering tire beads, means to apply a strip of fabric. to the inner surface of the bead, means to rotate the bead, and a spinning roller movable progressively outwardly of the head to shape the fabric to the sides of the bead.

10. In a machine for applying fabric to tire beads, a shaft, means to rotate the shaft at high and low speeds, a drum upon said shaft. adapted to support a bead, a carriage movable radially of the drum, pivoted arms on said carriage, oppositel positioned spin ning rollers on the ends 0 said arms, means to yieldingly press said spinning rollers again t the sides of the bead, and connections between the shaft and. the carriage whereby the latter may be moved outwardly of the drum while in rapid rotation.

11. In a machine for'applying fabric to tire heads, a shaft, means to rotate the shaft at two speeds, a bead drum upon said shaft adapted tosupport a head, a carriage movable radially of the drum, pivoted arms on the carriage, oppositely positioned spinning rollers on the ends of the arms, means to yieldingly force said spinning rollers against the sides of the bead, and connections between the shaft and the carriage whereby the latter may be moved outwardly of the drum while in rapid rotation..

12. In a machine for applying fabric to tire heads, a shaft, means to rotate the shaft, a bead drum upon the shaft adaptedto supporta head, a carriage movable radially of the drum, pivoted arms onthe carriage, oppositely positioned spinning rollers on the arms, means to force said spinning rollers toward one another and against the sides of the head, and connections between the shaft and the carriage whereby the latter may be moved outwardly of the drum whiie in retation.

13. In a machine for applying fabric to tire heads, a shaft, means to rotate the shaft, :1 segmental drum upon the shaft adapted to carry a head upon its outer periphery, means for moving the segments radially of the drum, a carriage, oppositely positioned spinning rollers on said carriage, means to force said spinning rollers toward one another and against the sides of the bead, and feeding means to move the carriage radially outward of the drum while the latter is rotated.

14. In a machine for applying fabric to tire heads, a shaft, means to rotate the shaftat high and low speeds, a segmental drum upon the shaft adapted to support a head, a carriage, means for moving the carriage radially outward of the drum during high speed, arms on the carriage movable toward and from one another, and spinning rollers on the arms.

15. In a machine for applying fabric to tire heads, a shaft, means to rotatethe shaft at high and low speeds, a segmental drum upon the shaft adapted to support a bead, means 'for expanding or contracting the drum, means for placing a circular bead upon the drum, a carriage, and means on the carriage for shaping and aynpl aing; the tahrie 17. In a machine for applying fabric to tire heads "a shaft, a segmental drum upon the shaft, means for expanding or eontraeting the drum, means tor pita-in; a head. around the drum and out of eontact there with while in contractual condition, and means for shaping the fabric to the sides (ii? the head.

18. Apparatus for making; tire heads, comprising a drum For receiviugn fabric band and a head core (llSlKimQtl on the hand intermediate its edges, means for folding the hand upwardl about the sides of the core, and means for stitching; the band over the core and for stitching; its marginal portions together to form flip, on the head.

lVILLIAM PETEVEINS, 

